I chose to reflect on “Barbie Doll” by Marge
Piercy. Even though the character in the story “was healthy, tested
intelligent, / possessed strong arms and back, / abundant sexual drive and
manual dexterity…everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs” (Piercy 7-9, 11). Although
the girl in the poem posses good qualities, they are personality traits most
associated with males, and therefore, undesirable for a girl. All the criticism
the girl receives causes her to commit suicide and mutilate her body. At the
funeral, while everyone is looking at the girl in the casket, they say,
“doesn’t she look pretty” (Piercy 23)? They can only find beauty in her
mutilated body, and compliment her when it is too late.
Growing up, I often faced problems with
anorexia and body image issues. I was often bullied, like the girl in “Barbie
Doll,” for not looking like how others wanted me to look. I got teased for
being a bit overweight and not having blue eyes and blond hair like everyone
else. When I began to lose weight, I still saw myself as fat when I looked in
the mirror. It took me a while to be confident in myself, and embrace the other
good qualities I have. We often judge a book by its cover instead of looking
beyond the surface. In a world that focuses on images rather than personalities,
we are forced to conform to what others want in order to escape judgment.
No comments:
Post a Comment